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Al Ain

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Al Ain is a major city located within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates.

Falaj at al ain
Falaj at al ain

It serves as the administrative seat for the Al Ain Region. The city is bordered to the east by the Omani town of Al-Buraimi. Geographically, Al Ain is the largest inland city in the Emirates. It is the fourth-largest city in the country, following Dubai, Abu Dhabi, and Sharjah. Within the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, it is the second-largest city. The city sits in a geographic triangle formed by the freeways connecting Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, and Dubai.

The city is famously known as the "Garden City" of the Gulf. This nickname comes from its many green spaces, such as oases, parks, and tree-lined avenues. There are also many decorative roundabouts throughout the city. To maintain this green feeling, there have been strict height controls on new buildings. For many years, buildings were not allowed to exceed seven floors.

Al Ain Campus
Al Ain Campus

This helps preserve the low skyline and the lush environment of the oases. Some authors suggest the oases here are among the most important in the entire Gulf region.

The climate in Al Ain is a hot desert climate, known scientifically as BWh. This means the area experiences long, extremely hot summers and warm winters. The average relative humidity is about 60%. During the summer, the humidity is often low. This lower humidity makes the city a popular destination for many people during the hottest months. To the south, the landscape features the man-made Lake Zakher. This lake was created by the release of waste water from desalination plants.

Al Ain cement factory
Al Ain cement factory

Al Ain's topography is unique and changes as you travel east. To the south lies Jebel Hafeet, which is also called Mount Hafeet. This mountain is an outlier of the main Hajar range. It is one of the highest mountains in the country. Jebel Hafeet has several ridges that stretch into the inner parts of the city. One ridge, Jabal Al Naqfah, touches the Al Ain Oasis. To the north and east, the landscape consists of sand dunes. These dunes are tinged red due to the presence of iron oxide.

Water management is vital to the city's survival and greenery. Al Ain contains seven distinct oases, including the large Al Ain Oasis and the small Al-Jahili Oasis. These oases rely on an ancient irrigation system called falaj, or qanat. A falaj is an underground water channel. These channels bring water from boreholes to nourish farms and palm trees. This system has been used for thousands of years in many different countries.

Falaj at al ain
Falaj at al ain

One example is Falaj Hazza, which is named after the brother of Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan.

The history of Al Ain stretches back nearly 8,000 years. Archaeological sites at Rumailah, Hili, and Jabel Hafeet show evidence of very early human settlement. Early people, part of the Hafit culture, built "beehive" tombs for their dead. They also practiced hunting and gathering. In the 1950s, Sheikh Zayed discovered these tombs. This led to professional excavations in 1959.

Qattara dagger
Qattara dagger

In 2011, UNESCO recognized Al Ain as a World Heritage Site. This was the first such recognition for a site in the UAE.

Today, Al Ain is a thriving center for services, industry, and education. The population was approximately 846,787 in 2021. While many residents are expatriates from places like India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan, the city has the highest percentage of Emirati nationals in the country at 30.8%. The economy includes large shopping centers like Al Ain Mall and Al Jimi Mall. Industry is also present, such as the Al Ain Portland Cement Works.

Al Ain cement factory
Al Ain cement factory

The city is a major educational hub, housing the United Arab Emirates University and several campuses of the Higher Colleges of Technology.

Al Ain Campus
Al Ain Campus

It also hosts the Al Ain International Airport and the Al Ain Dairy Farm.

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🖼️ Images & Media (7)
File:Al Ain cement factory.jpg
Al Ain cement factory.jpg
File:Qattara dagger.jpg
Qattara dagger.jpg
File:Falaj at al ain.jpg
Falaj at al ain.jpg
File:Al Ain Campus.jpg
Al Ain Campus.jpg
File:Oasis Hospital- Al-Ain - panoramio.jpg
Oasis Hospital- Al-Ain - panoramio.jpg
File:Al Ain Zoo - panoramio (3).jpg
Al Ain Zoo - panoramio (3).jpg
File:Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium night.jpg
Hazza Bin Zayed Stadium night.jpg
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